One Way, My Way
by AnonymousBuono
Summary: After Amu frees Ikuto Tsukiyomi from Easter, Ikuto is at a train station, ready to board and enter a brand new chapter of his life.


Setting: After Shugo Chara! Doki

Characters: Ikuto Tsukiyomi, Tsukasa Amakawa

* * *

 **We are Buono!** : _One Way = My Way_

* * *

Ikuto Tsukiyomi sat at a bench waiting for the train to arrive. A steam whistle of a train echoes from far away, and the white smoke spilling out can be seen from the distance. It is a sign that his train will be arriving soon to the empty train station that he was currently situated in. It was the early morning, the sun having risen just moments before, the morning mist still enveloping the station, making it shine like a diamond. His suitcase and violin case sat at his feet, and Yoru floated just above his shoulder.

It had been hardly any time at all since Amu Hinamori had freed him from the clutches of Easter, cleansed his heart and gotten rid of the Death Rebel. His new reality was still sinking in. Was he truly free? After years of having his life being controlled by Easter, was he finally free to do as he pleased?

Of course, Ikuto had always been a free spirit in his heart, or, at least, that was what he desired to be, hence Yoru's existence. However, his shaky childhood with a disappearing father, a sickly mother, the Hotori family, a power-hungry step-father, and a corrupt family prevented him from being his true self, from going on the path that he wanted to walk.

His life had been dictated by others for the past 18 years of his life as of last December. Now, however, Amu had freed him from his pain and stopped Easter. Now he had so much opportunity.

He actually felt numb in a way, his excitement hidden under a layer of uncertainty. Not too long ago he'd been a senior in high school involved in a huge company with shady interests, being manipulated until he wasn't himself anymore. Now, the company had an overhaul, he'd separated himself from them, and he'd dropped out of high school.

He felt so much lighter. Looking over at the empty tracks, he knew that the train that would be sliding in wouldn't just take him to Kyoto. No, it would be taking him to his new future, his new path, his new way. And this destination was not written on the ticket in his hands.

He felt at peace, waiting there at the train station for his train to arrive. But, he was apprehensive at the same time, and couldn't help but be cautious of what lay ahead.

"Your train hasn't arrived yet, Ikuto-kun?" A familiar and serene voice drew Ikuto out from his thoughts, and the blue-haired teen turned to see Tsukasa Amakawa, head of Seiyo Academy and the very first King's chair of the Guardians. The man who looked more like Tadase than the boy's own father approached Ikuto's bench from behind, before sitting beside him.

Yoru scoffed from his place floating above Ikuto's shoulder and said, "Well, duh! We're still here, meow."

Ikuto rubbed Yoru's head with his finger and said absentmindedly, "I'm sure it'll be here soon."

Tsukasa raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you not excited?"

Yoru floated over to Tsukasa and replied, "He's excited subconsciously, meow."

Ikuto shrugged, and slouched back in his seat, looking upwards beyond the canopy to look at the fluffy white clouds in the sky. "It's always been a distant dream of mine to just travel around and play my violin with my father by my side. It'd be a life with no worries at all, and I'd be as free as a cat." Ikuto sighed and sat up straight in his seat before saying, "It's strange to think that it's so close to becoming a reality." Ikuto glanced at Tsukasa and told the adult, "I really can't thank you enough for helping me get this opportunity with the traveling orchestra."

Tsukasa smiled in a way that was reminiscent of Tadase's smile and replied, "Oh, it was no problem at all." He took some catnip and waved it in front of Yoru's face and said, "I'd do anything for my little kitty!"

Yoru excitedly chased after the catnip as Tsukasa waved it around, and Ikuto's eyes widened in a panic as he said, "Yoru, wait, don't!"

Not even a second later, Yoru had character changed Ikuto and chaos ensued.

* * *

Later on, Ikuto had ridden the train to Kyoto, where he met up with the traveling orchestra. They were all such wonderful people, and Ikuto knew that this new chapter of his life would be one that he would thoroughly enjoy for once in his life. The plan from here on out was to get on another train with the orchestra to Osaka, where they would be performing. After Osaka, however, it was off to the rest of the world.

Currently he was chatting with a foreigner named Emily, Yoru sitting quietly on his shoulder. He paused to excuse himself; however, when he noticed that Tsukasa still stood off to the side, having gotten on the train to Kyoto with him. Ikuto strode over to Tsukasa, and asked in a low tone, "You know, you haven't told me why you got on the train with me. Don't you have a school to run?"

Tsukasa smiled mysteriously, in a way that made Ikuto think he knew a great secret of the universe, and then replied, "Do I?"

Ikuto simply expressed his incredulity with a raised eyebrow as he asked, "Well, don't you? And what about Tadase? With his grandmother-"

"You and I both know that Tadase has plenty of people to care for him," Tsukasa interrupted him. "Besides, just for now, you need me a little more." Tsukasa's tone was serious but light as he asked, "Ikuto-kun, do you know where you are headed?"

It was a test, Ikuto knew it was, and he sighed, closing his eyes. He already knew the answer, but took his time to think anyways, feeling strangely weary. Finally, he opened his eyes and turned back to him and replied firmly, "Anywhere so long as it's a future that I get to create my way."

Yoru nodded his head and added, "Yup, yup! That's the one way to start a new adventure."

Tsukasa gave them both a warm smile, proud of how far Ikuto had come since he was a lost, young boy living with the Hotori family. "I'm glad you feel that way, I'm proud."

Tsukasa then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a map and a pen and handed them to Ikuto, who received it with a questioning look in his eye. "You're on a brand new route, aren't you? On your new way, an endless route. Go on further, and use this map to mark out your new stations, your new destinations." As Ikuto examined the map, Tsukasa added mysteriously, "Who knows, you might just meet up with someone you know in an unknown town in a far away place."

Yoru looked over it and spotted that Paris, France was already circled in red pen and asked, "Ah, why's this circled, meow~?"

"Who knows?" Tsukasa replied vaguely, "Maybe you'll meet up Seiyo Academy's Chairman over there... You'll never know."

It was as he was examining Tsukasa's map that it finally clicked in Ikuto's head. His step-father and Easter had no more say in his life, his boring high school teachers had no more say in his life, no one except himself had anymore say in his life. He was free to go on whichever path he chose, and it was all thanks to Amu.

He smiled a small but genuine smile as he pocketed the map and said a simple, "Thank you. Seriously, I can't thank you enough."

Then, the train whistle sounded, and Ikuto turned to see that his train was pulling in.

His future was dawning on him, and he knew he would be able to discover himself, and maybe even find his father, if he boarded the train with the orchestra.

As the other members of the orchestra filed onto the train, Emily turned around and said in a slightly accented Japanese, "Hey, Tsukiyomi-san, come on! We're leaving!"

The departure bell rang, and Yoru exclaimed, "Come on, Ikuto, let's jump right on!"

Ikuto nodded and said, "Alright." and gathered his suitcase and violin. He took a few steps towards the train, before noticing that Tsukasa wasn't following.

Tsukasa did not move from his spot, but nodded in encouragement and said softly, "Go!"

That was their cue continue on their way.


End file.
